Gobi Manchurian

Recipe taken from Cooking with Manali - Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or any oil of choice
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon grated garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 2-3 stalks scallions , chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, I used 1 tablespoon regular and 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sriracha or any hot sauce, adjust to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder
• salt, to taste, if needed

For the Cauliflower Florets

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into medium size florets, around 2.5 cups cut cauliflower florets
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder
• water, to form a flowing batter, around 1/2 cup + 2-3 tablespoons
• oil, for frying, I used avocado oil

Method

• To make the sauce, heat the oil in a skillet on high heat. Once hot, add the grated garlic, ginger, green chili and chopped celery.

• Saute for 1 minute until ginger-garlic start changing color.

• Then add the chopped onion, green pepper and scallions. Cook for high heat for around 3 minutes.

• Then add the soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce (like sriracha), sugar and white pepper powder. Taste test and add salt if needed. Set aside.

• Meanwhile cut and clean cauliflower florets and drop them in hot salted water. Simmer on medium heat for around 4 minutes.

• Drain water and place florets on a paper tissue. Pat dry each individually.

• To a large bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, ginger-garlic paste, salt and pepper. Whisk and start adding water, little by little.

• Form a smooth, free-flowing batter. It should not be too thick or thin.

• Heat oil for frying on medium heat in a kadai or pan. Once oil is hot, dip the florets into the batter. Make sure they are well coated with the batter.

• Drain off the excess batter and carefully drop florets into the hot oil.

• Fry on medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes, until crispy and browned.

• Transfer the fried cauliflower florets into the sauce (sauce should be warm when you do this).

• Toss to combine until all the florets are well coated with the sauce.

• Garnish with scallions and serve gobi manchurian with hakka noodles or enjoy as it is!

Notes

If you want to make Gobi Manchurian with gravy: add 1 cup water to the sauce. after adding all the sauces (soy sauce, ketchup etc.). Then in a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water.

Add the cornstarch slurry to the gravy and stir. Let it simmer for a minute or two, the gravy will thicken. Add florets and serve.